Player piano



April A, GULBRANSEN 1,799,365

PLAYER PIANO Filed Aug. 15, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Him I p 1931- A. c.GULBRANSEN 1,799,365-

PLAYER PIANO Filed Aug. 3, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7, 1931- A. G.GULBRANSEN 1 1,799,365

PLAYER PIANO Filed Aug. 5, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet s p 1931- A. G.GULBRANSEN 1,799,365

PLAYER P IANO Filed Aug. 5, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 7, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AXEL G. GULBRANSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO GULIBRAN SEN COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATIONOF ILLINOIS PLAYER PIANO Application filed August 3,

This invention relates to player pianos, and more particularly to thattype of player piano in which the means for exhausting the chan nelboard is foot operated.

1n pianos of standard type which are played by hand only, asdistinguished from player pianos which may be played either by hand ormechanically, it has been the standard practice for many years toprovide three pedals at the central portion of the toe rail forcontrolling the loudness of the tone and the length thereof, two ofthese pedals being commonly called the soft pedal and the loud pedal,respectively, the third pedal being known as either the tone pedal orthe sustaining pedal. These three pedals arranged in this manner havebeen in use for so long, and the public has become so accustomed tothem, that a piano or player piano without pedais at the central portionof the toe rail is a distinct departure from the arrangement to whichthe public has been long accustomed and immediately calls attention tothe fact that the instrument embodying such departure is not a standardtype of piano. This is objectionable as the average member of the publicin buying a player piano is not particularly desirous of having itadvertised to friends and associates that the instrument is mechanicallyplayed. The omission of the pedals usually used in standard pianos isalso objectionable from an aesthetic standpoint as detracting from theappearance of the instrument as a whole. Vhile these various obj ections to the omission of the pedals of the standard piano have beenknown to the manufacturers of player pianos, such omission has generallybeen accepted as a necessary evil. It was realized at an early date thatthe provision of rectangular pedals in front of the toe rail and at aninclination downwardly and forwardly of the piano, such as were at onetime commonly employed for operating the exhaust power unit, wereparticularly objectionable as presenting an unattractive and very uglyappearance which very materially detracted from the otherwise attractiveand artistic appearance of the instrument. In an endeavor to overcomethis various expedients were resorted to, such as mounting the oper-1927. sfirial No. 210,324.

ating pedals so as to permit them to be positioned inside of the lowerportion of the case when not in use, these pedals or, more corre-ctly,treadlcs, being withdrawn and supported upon the floor adjacent the toerail of the piano when in use.

In all of the numerous expedients adapted, the treadles for operatingthe exhaust power unit are visible when o erating the player piano,which is objectionable for the reasons noted. In those cases where thetreadles cannot be moved into the lower portion of the case, thetreadles are always visible and in the cases where the treadles can bepositioned within the case when not in use they are visible when playingthe piano mechanically and this expedient of concealing the treadleswhen not in use has the further objection that the player must placehimself herself in a very inconvenient position when inserting thetreadles into the piano case or removing them therefrom. All of thesevarious objections have, however, been accepted by the manufacturers andthe general public as necessa y evils which could not be avoided in aninstrument which is otherwise very desirable and, on the average, highlysatisfactory.

I have found that by properly construct ing' the exhaust power unit itcan be arranged within the lower portion of the player piano case insuch manner as to be oprated by pedal levers operating through the toerail and disposed in the position of the soft and tone or sustainingpedals of hand played pianos of standard type. This arrangement alsorenders it possible to position between the two pedals for operating theexhaust power unit a third pedal corresponding to the sustaining pedalof a piano but being disposed in the position normally occupied by theloud pedal. All of these pedals are visible at all times and operatethrough the toe rail of the player piano and are so constructed as toclosely resemble in appearance the pedals commonly employed in pianos ofstandard type. The player piano thus produced cannot be distinguishedfrom the standard type of piano except by close inspection and presentsa very attractive and artistic appearance, which is an importantconsideration in instruments of this character. A further advantage ofthis construction is that the operating pedals are always accessiblewithout any necessity 01. moving the same into or out of the case. Anadditional advantage is that the operating pedals occupy but littlespace in front of the toe rail permitting the player to sit close to theinstrument as when playing by hand.

The two pedals for operating the exhaust power unit are provided withmeans for preventing slippage of the foot when operating the pedal, suchmeans also preventing undue wear and rubbing on the shoe sole. Anadditional advantage of my construction is the simple and inexpensivemeans for establishing operating con. ection between the pedals and theexhaust bellows operated. thereby. Further objects and advantages willappear from the detail description.

Inthe drawings:

ig. 1 is a front view of a player piano constructed in accordance withmy invention showing the parts in the positions which they normallyoccupy when the instrument is not being played mechanically;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the instrument with the lower fro boardremoved, the upper front board broken away to show the panel board,spool box, motor and associated parts;

3 is a plan view of the exhaust power unit and associated parts;

4: is a side view of the exhaust power unit and associated parts, one ofthe operating pedals and the toe rail and bottom board of the case beingsectioned substantially on line l4;

Fig. 5 is a prospective front view of one of the exhaust bellows;

Fig. 6 is a detail partly in section, of the connection between one ofthe operating pedals and its associated exhaust bellows;

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail, '3 .rtl' broken away and in section, ofthe forward or outer portion of one of the operating pedals and itsassociated roller.

8 a detail side View of the throat member and the governor associatedparts, partly in section.

The player piano illustrated in l d 2 is of a type and construction nowwell known in this art. This player piano ineludes a case 1 the lowerportion of which i closed by a front board 2, the upper portion of the.case being closed by a front board This front board 3 is provided with acentral rectangular opening normally closed by slides l which give readyaccess to a spool box 5 mounted ona shelf bracket 6 within the case.This spool boX carries spool and roll chucks for supporting the sheet tobe played, which is wound 0a of the roll onto the spool during playingthereof. A suitable motor is mounted on the bracket shelf 6 adjacent thespool box and is connected to the spool or to the roll chuck, in a knownmanner, for winding and rewinding the music sheet. A channel board 8 ismounted in the upper portion of the case below the bracket shelf 6 andthis board carries the pneumatics for operating the individual strikersor hammers of the instrument during playing thereof. The channel boardand the pneumatics constitute what is commonly termed the pneumaticstack, the pneumatics of which are selectively connected to the channelboard by suitable valve controlled means so as to be actuated by the airtension or partial vacuum in the channel board. All of the various partsof the instrument above referred to are well known in this art and neednot be further described nor illustrated in detail. A throat structure 9is v suspended from key bed 10 by means of suitable brackets 11. One endof this throat member is connected by a tube 12 to the channel board 8and the other end of the throat member is connectd by a tube 13 to theexhaust of the motor 7. A second tube 14 extends from the same end ofthe throat member 9 as tube 12 and connects to a pneumatic 15 ofsustainer for operating the damper rail in a known manner. A tempo valve16 is mounted at the other end of the throat member and is operated byasuitable lever for controlling the speed of operation of the motor 7.

'A supporting board 17 is secured to the rearward face ofthroat member 9and eX- tends downwardly therefrom, this board sup porting a governor 18the main valve of Hill which operates in a musing 19 secured on i therearward face of the board. The housing 19 communicates with the1nter1or of throat member 9 by means of a tube 20, the housing and tl ethroat member being provided with suitable nipples for reception of thistube.

The throat member 9 is provided, ad acent each end thereof, with a gatevalve.

These valves are connected by a rod 21 the ends of which are pivoted toarms depending from the shafts upon which the valves are mounted. One ofthese arms 22 is elongated and is connected to the movable leaf of asilencer pneumatic 23. Communication between this pneumatic and thethroat member is controlled by a valve mounted in a housing 24 securedon a board 25 which is secured through tube 27 into the housing 24beneath the valve therein. This establishes communication between thesilencer pneumatic 25 and the interior of the throat member 9 resultingin collapsing of pneumatic 25 and closing of the gate valve at the lefthand or action end of the throat 9, the gate valve at the right hand ormotor end of the throat being opened permitting operation of the motor 7at relatively high speed for rewinc ing the roll. The construction andoperation of the gate valve, the silencer, the governor, and the tempovalve and associated parts are all well understood in this art and neednot be further described nor illustrated in detail.

The operation of the instrument when played mechanically is controlledby the sustaining and melody levers mounted on the key-bed at the leftof the player, and the tempo lever mounted on the key-bed at the rightof the player; these levers being illus trated in Fig. 2. The firstlever at the right of the player is the reroll lever, and the thirdlever at the right of the player is the key-lock lever. The connectionsand functions of these various levers are well understood in the art andneed not be described in detail.

The exhaust power unit is indicated in its entirety by the referencenumber 28. This unit includes two exhaust bellows 29 of knownconstruction which are supported by suitable brackets 30 secured on abottom board 31 which closes the lower end of case 1. The two bellows 29support a relatively large bellows 32 which forms a reservoir orequalizer. The upper leaf of the equalizer is secured to the lower fixedleaves of the exhaust bellows 29. Movement of the lower leaf 33 of theequalizer bellows 32 in closing direction is limited by a stop finger 3dsecured to the movable end of this leaf and disposed to contact with astop 35 secured to a block 36, which is secured to the under face offixed leaf 37 of the right hand bellows 29 as considered in Fig. 2. Theexhaust bellows and the equalizer 32 are thus secured together to forman exhaust power unit which is supported an appreciable distance abovethe bottom board 31.

A sustaining pedal 38 projects through a notch or opening 39 provided inthe toe rail 40 of the casing, centrally thereof. This pedal is of wellknown construction anc is provided at its inner end with an eye 40through which extends a rod ll, this rod being rockably mounted througha pair of blocks 42 secured by screws 43, or in any other suitablemanner, to bottom board 31. The pedal is secured to the rod by set screw44 threaded through eye 40. A coil compression spring 45 is confinedbetween board 31 and the shank of the pedal, the ends of this springseating about studs 46 and 47 on the board 31 and the pedal,respectively, this spring acting to normally hold the pedal in raisedposition. The rod ll is connected in a known manner to the damper railso that by depressing the pedal the damper are moved out of contact withthe strings for permitting the notes s 'llhis action is well u At eachsine of the sustaining pedal 38 I provide n operating pedal 48. Thispedal operates through a notch or opening 49 in the toe rail similar tothe opening 39. This opening is suitably cushioned by strips 50 of feltor other suitable material secured to the enclosing walls of the toerail 10, it being understood that the opening 39 for the sus tainingpedal 38 is similarly felted. The pedal 48 is provided, adjacent theouter or front face of toe rail 40, with an upwardly extending guardelement 51 to prevent the toe portion of the players shoe fromcontacting with the rail 40, in accordance with the common practice, andthis pedal is of substantially channel shape in cross section for thegreater portion of its length. A short distance inwardly beyond the rail40, pedal 48 is provided with an enlargement or boss 52 connectingthedepending lateral flanges 53 of the pedal. This boss receives a shortpintle rod 54 secured therein, the ends of this rod extending intospaced blocks 55 secured by screws 56, or in any other suitable orpreferred manner, to the bottom board 31. The operating pedals 48 arethus mounted for rocking movement about a horizontal axis extendinglengthwise of case 1. It is also to be noted that these pedals aredisposed at opposite sides of the sustaining pedal 38 in the positionswhich are occupied by the soft pedal and the sustaining pedal in a pianoof standard type. It will also be noted that the pedal 48 closelyresembles in appearance the pedal 38, the only difference being that theoperating pedals are provided at their outer ends with enlargementsforming forks 57. The operating pedals are thus spaced apart so as to bereadily operated by the feet without interference and the as sembly issuch that the pedal arrangement very closely resembles the pedalarrangement in the standard type of hand played piano.

A knurled roller 58 is mounted in each of the forks 57 of the operatingpedals 48, this roller being secured on a short supporting rod 59 theends of which have bearing in the arms 60 and 61 of for (s 57. Arm 61 isprovided on the inner face of its base portion with an integral lug 62which projects into an a rcuate recess 63 cut out of the adjacent end ofroller 58, this recess being concentric with red 59. The lug 62cooperates with the end walls of the recess 63 to limit turning movementof the roller in either direction. Recess 63 is of proper length topermit sufficient movement of the roller to compensate for the by meansof the connecting rod 0! movement of the operators foot toward and awayfrom the pedal when the pedal is reciprocated with the heel of the shoeresting upon the floor to give a leverage action for depressing theforward end of the pedal. The change in relation of the foot to thepedal is very slight so that but limited move ment of the roller 58 isnecessary. Also, by positively limiting movement of the roller eitherdirection tendency of the foot to slip off of the roller due to freeturning or spinning thereof is eliminated. This method of mounting theroller and limiting movement thereof is of importance as facilitatingoperation of the pedals.

As will be noted more clearly from Fig. 4c the lateral flanges 53 ofpedal l8 extend to within a short distance of the inner or rearward endof the pedal. This pedal is provided, adjacent its inner end, withopening 64. This opening receives a felt bushing surrounding a pin 6secured in the lower end of a connecting rod 87 of wood or othersuitable material, this pin extending through the bushing and through afelt disc 68 secured on the lower end of rod 67. A. similar pin 69 issecured in the upper end of the rod and passes through a bushing 70 anda washer or disc 71 similar to bushing 65 and disc 68. An arm 72 issecured, by means of screws 73, or in any other suitable manner, to thetop face of the upper movable leaf 29a of each of the exhaust bellows29. This arm is provided, adjacent its rearward end, with an opening 74which accommodates the upper portion of pin 69 and the bushing 70surrounding the same. The connecting rod 67 is thus confined between arm72 and the inner end of the op erating pedal 48, and connections betweenthe ends of this rod and the arm 7 2 and the pedal are effectuallycushioned so as to prevent any objectionable metallic sound due to *ition. The felt discs 68 and 71 and the bushings 65 and 70, in additionto acting as cushioning elements, also provide yieldable means forpermitting relative movement between the rod 67 and the arm 72 and leverl8 durin operation of the exhaust bellows by means or the pedal 48.

An angle bracket 75 is secured to the upper leaf 29a of each of theexhaust bellows 29 and a similar bracket 76 is secured to the lower leafof the bellows in alignment with the bracket 7 5. These two brackets areconnected by a tension 'coil spring '57 having its ends secured throughthe rearward arms of the re spective brackets, this spring acting tonormally hold the bellows in closed or collapsed condition. When theoperating pedal 48 is depress-ed the bellows is opened or extended Q andassociated parts against the tension of spring 77, this spring acting tocollapse or close the bellows when the pressure upon the outer end ofthe pedal is released. This provides simple and highly efficient meansfor reciprocating the movable leaf 29a for alternately extending andcollapsing the bellows for pumping air out of the equalizer 83.

Each of the bellows 29 is provided, through its upper leaf 29s, with twospaced exhaust openin s 7 8. These openingsare normally closed by astrip 79 of leather or other suitable material so as to prevent freeentry of air into the bellows; Strip 'Z9 is secured at one end bysuitable elements 80, such as tacks or the equivalent, to the outer faceof leaf 29a. A woodenblock 81 is secured to the upper face of strip 79at the other end thereof and transversely of the strip. This blockcorresponds in width to the strip, the strip being appreciably widerthan the diameter of the openings 78 so as to effectually close theseopenings. A wire spring 82 is mounted on the upper face of leaf 29a andis secured to this leaf by a small staple 88 driven into the leaf andstraddling the spring a short distance beyond tie inner end thereof.This spring has its inner end portion turned downwardly at right anglesto form a securing and fulcrum element 8% which engages into a recess 85of leaf 29a, this element bearing on the leaf at the lower end of therecess. At its outer end the spring 82 is bent at right angles toprovide a rearwardly extending finger 86 which fits loosely into arecess 8? provided in block 81 this recess extending from the forwardface of the bloclr. Beyond the staple 83 the spring 82 is bentrearwardly so as to exert rearward pressure on block 81 and this springis placed under tension by staple 83 so as to exert downward pressure onblock 81, the element 84 and finger 88 acting to hold the body portionof the spring spaced above the upper face of leaf 29a. The spring thusexerts both downward and rearward pressure on the block 81 and serves tohold the closure strip tight at all times so as to take up any slack inthis strip and hold it snugly against the upper face of leaf 29a foreffectually closing the openings 7 8.

The bellows 29 are provided in their lower leaves 37 with openings 87awhich register with openings 32?) through the upper leaf 32a of theequalizer bellows 32. Communication between the exhaust bellows and theequalizer bellows is controlled in any suitable manner, as by means ofsuitable valves 8% of the flap type so arranged that, upon expansion ofthe bellows 29 air is exhausted from the equalizer bellows 32, this airbeing then exhausted from the bellows29, upon compression thereof,through the openings 78. When the bellows 29 is closed the strip 7 9 isslightly raised or unseated by the pressure of theair on'the underfacethereof, permitting this air to be exhausted from the bellows. Uponexpansion or opening of the bellows the strip 7 9 seals openings 78'soas to prevent entry of atmospheric air therethrough. While any suitabletype of valve may be employed to control communication between theequalizer bellows and the ex haust bellows, I prefer to use for thispurpose strips similar to strips 7 9, these strips being held extendedby springs 82 and the parts associated therewith in the mannerdescribed. In this event the strips '4' 9 would be mounted upon theupper faces of the lower leaves oi the bel ows 20. alternatelydepressing and releasing the pedals 48 the equalizer bellows 32 isexhausted so as to maintain a substantially constant tension therein forexhausting the channel. board 8. The method of connecting the exhaustbellows to a reservoir or equalizer bellows whereby the latter isexhausted by alternate operation of the exhaust bellows, is well knownin this art and it is not thought necessary, therefore, to illustrate ordescribe further the interior construction of the exhaust power unit,the construction and operation of which will be perfectly clear to thoseskilled in the art.

By mounting the equalizer bellows 32 directly on the lower leaves of theexhaust bellows 29, in the manner illustrat d and described, I providean exhaust power unit of very compact and highly efficient constructionwhich can be readily disposed within the lower portion of the playerpiano case substantially centrally thereof and so to accommodate thelevers 48 and 88. As will be noted more clearly from I 2 and 3, theinner ends of the xhaust oellows 29 are disposed closely adjacent eachother and a nipple 88 is secured in and opens through the top leaf 32aof the equalizer bellows centrally thereof. This nipple receives thelower end of a tube 89 the upper eno of which receives a nipple 90secured through the lower wall of throat member 9. The tube 89, togetherwiththe throat member 9 and tube 12, serves to connect the equalizerbellows 32 to the channel board 8 so that by operating the exhaustbellows 9 the channel board is exhausted and the proper tension foroperating the player pneumatic-s is maintained within the channel board.This provides a very simple and highly efficient con struction and hasthe advantage that either the throat member or the exhaust power unitcan be removed independen ly, all of the parts associated with thethroat and the power unit being readily accessible.

lVhen it desired to play the instrument by hand, the sustaining pedal 38only is operated. The volume or loudness of? the notes struck isdetermined by the force exerted in depressing the keys, i. e., by thefingering of the pianist. This is, however, no inconvenience as anaccomplished pianist rarely employs the soft and loud pedals on thestandard type of piano, the desired loudness or softness and variationsin expressions of the selection played being determined by the skill andlingering of the pianist. In fact, the only pedal on a piano of standardtype which is used to any appreciable extent by accomplished pianists isthe sustaining pedal. I have, therefore, by my invention, removed thetwo pedals which are not essential to the hand playing of the instrumentand have re placed these pedals by two operating pedals by means ofwhich the instrument may be played mechanically. The resultinginstrument, as previously pointed out, closely resembles the standardtype of piano and is yet capable of bein played by hand as effectivelyas a piano having the usual three pedals for controlling the expression.In addition to being of much neater appearance than player pianos ofordinary type, the parts of my player piano are readily accessible atall times, all necessity for moving the operating pedal into and out ofoperative position is avoided, a very simple and highly eflicientexhaust power unit is provided and is disposed centrally of the lowerportion of the case so as to prevent crowding of parts, and the powerunit and the throat member are mounted independently of each other sothe one may be removed without any necessity of removing the other.

lVhile Ihave illustrated and described my invention as used with aplayer piano in which the roll motor is operated from the exhaust powerunit, I do not in any way limit 't to this one particular type ofplayer. In fact my invention is particularly well adapted for playerpianos in which the roll operating means is separate and distinct fromthe exhaust power unit. In my copending application for player piano,Serial No. 163,016, iiled January 24, 1927, I have disclosed a for: ofinstrument in which the roll motor is operated by power driven meansseparate and distinct from the exhaust power unit for exhausting thechannel board. In the copend ing application of Arthur H. Boettcher forplayer piano, Serial No. 163,898, filed J anuary 27, 1927 is disclosed aplayer piano in which the winding and ire-winding means is operated byan electric motor and associated means for establishing drivingconnections between the motor and the spool or the roll chuck,selectively. The instant invention is well adapted for use with eitherof these player pianos disclosed in the applications identified as byhaving the spool and roll chuck operated by means independent of theexhaust power unit, the volume of air handled by such unit is greatlyreduced permit- 1 ting the use of exhaust bellows of small capacity.This is advantageous in that it greatly facilitates the operation of theexhaust bellows and also gives more control over the expression bypedaling either slowly or rapidly to decrease or increase the tension inthe channel board 8, since any Variation in volume of the air handledwill have a much greater effect on the tension in the equalizer 32 thanwould be the case if this equalizer were of relatively great capacity,as is necessary in cases where the roll motor is operated from theexhaust power unit. It will thus be seen that by mounting the unit andthe operating pedals therefor in the manner illustrated and described Ihave materially increased the efficiency of the instrument, as Well assimplified its construction, particularly when the exhaust power unitmounted in the manner disclosed is used in an instrument in which thespool and roll chuck op erating means is separate from the exhaust powerunit. I also contemplate an arrangement in which power driven means notonly operates the roll motor, but also effects a low tension in thechannel board, the foot operated means being then relied on for bringingthe tension up to the required point for playing and for eii ecting thevariations in tension for expression.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a player piano, a channel board, a memberextending across the bottom of the piano case, a pair of exhaust bellowsabove the bottom member, brackets secured to the bottom member andsupporting the bellows, an equalizer bellows supported by the exhaustbellows and forming therewith an exhaust power unit, connections betweenthe equalizer bellows and the channel board of the piano, a pair ofoperating pedals fulcrumed intermediate their ends on said bottommember, and operating connections between the pedals and the respectiveexhaust bellows.

2. In a player piano, an exhaust power unit including a pair of exhaustbellows provided with movable leaves, arms projecting from the movableleaves of the respective bellows and provided with openings, operatingpedals fulcrumed intermediate their ends, said pedals having openingsaligned with the openings of the arms, rods confined between the, pedalsand arms, pins secured in the ends of the rods and passing through saidopenings, and yieldable bushings passing through the openings andreceiving said pins.

3. In a player piano, an exhaust power unit including a pair of exhaustbellows, operating pedals fulcrumed intermediate their ends and havingoperating connection at their inner ends with the respective bellows,rollers mounted at the outer ends of the pedals transversely thereof,and means limiting turning of the rollers in either direction.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of July,1927.

AXEL G. GULBRANSEN.

